This invention relates to solid tires made of elastomeric material used in industrial applications and more particularly to improved solid tires able to carry extreme loads while being used in off-road, rugged terrain.
Conventional solid tires on the market today generally are used for slow-speed industrial applications that require the tire to have properties such as being puncture-proof, able to carry relatively heavy loads, and have good resistance to wear and tear. The tires must resist tearing and abrasion when used on broken and uneven surfaces, such as typically found in mills, mines, quarries and the like. Such uses frequently cause premature failure of the tire, due to tears and separation of the tire from the rim. This premature failure is a particular problem in tires made to withstand unusually heavy loads.
The prior art teaches that polyurethane materials, such as those used for solid tires of this invention, can have their abrasion resistance improved by the addition of silicone. The prior art also teaches that, for each composition of elastomer used in a tire, there is a definite relation between skid resistance and wear resistance, such that an improvement in wear resistance results in a degradation in skid resistance. Thus, under the teaching of the prior art, one would expect that the addition of silicone to polyurethane, to increase wear resistance would result in a tire that has decreased skid resistance. In fact, such silicones are added to castable urethanes to act as slip agents. Thus, there is a need for a solid, castable polyurethane tire that combines the characteristics of good abrasion resistance, good tear resistance, without sacrificing good skid resistance.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in conventional solid tires. It is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully discussed hereinafter.